The Exploding Assistant
by Fantasy Cat
Summary: She learns what happened to Walter's former assistant and becomes terrified for her life. Astrid and Walter angst. Some Walstrid if you squint. Now in multiple parts. Story and dark depressing epilogue completed.
1. Part One

**Disc:** **_I'm just a fanfiction writing loser. People like me can never own shows like Fringe in a billion years. Though I think I could if I had a billion dollars. Ha!_**

**A/N:** **_Man can you believe my Fringe fic muse fuse has been dry for over a month? I guess the hiatus is having the opposite effect on me. Oh well, one more week to go!_**

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**I.**

"I'm afraid I can't honor that request," Broyles replied.

Astrid stood before him shaking nervously, but it was more than because this was her first personal meeting with the man of great classified superiority.

"Look, I know it's a lot to ask but I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't fearing for my life. I don't care if you want to put me behind a desk for the rest of my life. But I really don't think I can do this anymore."

She tried putting so much of her desperation and fear of the stabbing incident in the lab into her plea. It had been an attack on her of an unusual fashion, which only indicated the severity of Walter's unpredictable…possibly dangerous…behaviors.

"Is Agent Dunham aware about your concerns?"

"Yes sir," she addressed Broyles in desperation. "She said if I had your permission…maybe…you'd understand…"

"It won't be that simple, Agent Farnsworth," Broyles argued.

"You know this stuff regarding…"Astrid realized she was talking a bit too loud and leaned closer to Broyles hoping to preserve the secrecy. "…the Pattern? I swear I really don't know much about it. Wouldn't understand it in a million years. I swear I won't tell anybody about it. I've only helped out with Walter…"

"And that's exactly why you need to stay on this assignment."

"Wha…what do you mean that's why?"

"I've been hearing how closely you've been working with Dr. Bishop, Agent Farnsworth."

"I was only doing my job, sir. I was told to help him with anything he needed."

"And you have done an extraordinary job with that. That is why we cannot transfer you. Your association with Dr. Bishop allows us to keep a better eye on him."

"But…but…what about Peter?"

"Peter maybe his son, but you have gotten closer to the work he's been doing in the lab. Whether you believe it or not, you have greater access to his mind, how he thinks and how he strategizes and most important you have complete access to his experiments and studies. That is what we're looking out for. We're looking to see what his next move will be. You keep this up, Farnsworth, and you'll be graduating ahead of everyone on your level."

It became clear then that Broyles was not going to let her off this project so easily. She had to take to chance though. Not having the decency to remember her name was bad enough but the syringe attack was just brutal. What if was just the beginning of Walter's unpredictability? What if there was a purely malevolent side to Walter just on the verge of explosion? And what would happen is said explosion occurred with Astrid standing by his side?

All of these questions could not be easily answered and she couldn't count on Broyles for any more information. She would have to do some more research on Walter herself...if only to understand what more she could possibly be in for.

She knew that Walter was released from St. Claire's, in fact, that really didn't surprise her. She knew that someone got killed…perhaps Walter drilled into someone's skull a bit too far back.

It only took her five minutes to look up Walter Bishop on the computer. It was the standard "brilliance scientist" comments until she got the information that her mind had to absorb with such horror and atrocity.

The lab incident.

One assistant killed in explosion.

Assistant? Astrid was aware that she was becoming more Walter's assistant and much less Olivia's by the day. In fact it didn't bother her at all at first. The strange machines that Walter had laying around in that cold dark basement intrigued her. And when Walter asked her as part of their first introduction (and most certainly not the last) if she wanted to see what he was doing, the first thought that went through Astrid's mind was _"hell, why not?"_

Famous last words.

Now it seems between getting any food that Walter demanded during unusual hours of the day, and making sure Gene's feed was delivered to the basement in the morning, and having to rent movies or TV shows that Walter missed out on during his incarceration, she found herself asking Walter questions about the dangers of drilling a hole in a man's head, or putting Olivia in a tank of water wearing a massive net of wires. It was more doubt building up inside of Astrid's mind. Her curiosity was the cause of these risks…that she knew. And she knew all about risks in her training as an FBI Agent.

But this was different. This was a personal association she was (much to her own horror) developing with Walter. And now (ever since that syringe went into her neck) she knew that Walter had very little regard for the safety of those around him for the sake of science. And even THAT had not changed after all the years he spent being punished for that crime.

If she worked with Walter anymore…she really was going to die.


	2. Part Two

**II.**

Walter chuckled as he and Astrid got halfway through the film. "Why this film is absolutely absurd! And you say this was very popular back in the day?"

"Yeah, it was," Astrid responded.

"But it's completely historically inaccurate".

"Well the love story isn't real, Walter. It's supposed to be the forefront of an historical event."

Walter grunted and said "oh forget it, then. Turn off that ridiculous documentary." He was already up and back running around in the lab when Astrid turned off _Titanic_.

She watched him as he mindlessly went about his lab routines, struggling to find the courage to get some important information out of him though she didn't know why she found it so hard to.

"Walter," Astrid began cautiously. "Could I ask you something about your past?"

"Well certainly, Ar-…er…uh…yes. Would you like to know how I taught Peter…"

"No, I don't," Astrid sighed. "I wanted to know about the whole St. Claire's incident."

Walter looked up to face Astrid but his eyes were slowly finding his way back to his work looking quite sad. "Oh…I see. What could you possibly be interested about that for?"

Astrid was shaking nervously now. This was probably the first serious conversation she had ever had with Walter about anything that didn't involve him slicing open bodies or testing explosions. "I wanted to know about how you got in there. What happened back then that got you…arrested?"

She didn't know what other word to use. The expression on Walter's face didn't change nor did he bother to look at her in the eyes when he coldly said, "I assumed you would've read all about it in my file. Agent Dunham has done so and…"

"Yeah, I did. But I wanted to know about the people who were…you know…assisting you…back then. What were they like?"

Walter squinted trying to struggle with retrieving the memory from the back of his mind. "Oh I don't remember. A bunch of college-aged students, studying at some major university lab. Can't recall the name of the place though."

"You mean Harvard?"

"Oh…could be," Walter said smiling. "Unusual place to have a lab of unique science such as this though. I would never consider setting up my lab on such a campus."

"We are in Harvard, Walter."

"Oh. Well…let's see. I think there were two men and a woman. Very intelligent, though not as genius as my son Peter of course…but they were deeply passionate about my work. I chose them you know. I had to chose the best but it's more about the best…it's about whether or not you would be willing to strap yourself to a chair and allow 200 kilowatts of electricity to run through your system for a split second. It was about being determined and curious enough to put you hand inside of an _ovis aries_ and re-alter it's digestive system without taking it out. It was about…"

"Okay, I get it. They were good."

"They were more than the best. They were curious."

Curious was the word that struck Astrid the most. She had been curious about Walter's work from day one, there was no mistaking that. But she highly doubted that she was as gifted as Walter's former students. Heck, she wasn't even really a student let alone had the GPA to get somewhere prestigious as Harvard.

"They were their way to being my associates you know. I even considered one to replace old Belly. We were having a few disputes you see. He was on his way to starting up his own company…

"You mean Massive Dynamic?"

"Something of that nature anyway. I was going to prove to Belly that my work wasn't a waste of time and I had one particular student in mind until…"

"Until the accident." Astrid was afraid she got to the point a bit too quickly and Walter noticed. She knew about the accident and she knew an assistant got killed. Walter wasn't stupid. He knew exactly what was on her mind.

His eyes darted back directly at Astrid and she could sense the pain that was welling up behind them as she looked back at him.

"Are you scared?" he asked her.

"Scared of what?"

"You know what. Are you scared that the same thing is going to happened to you?"

"Well I don't even know why or how your assistant got killed, but maybe I am a little, but scared of what…I don't know."

At that moment something hit Walter's consciousness. A memory. He went over to a dusty bookshelf that was located against the wall and Astrid follow him curiously. Seeing that he was trying to move the bookshelf away from the wall Astrid assisted him. There was something behind that bookshelf he was seeking.

Astrid couldn't quite understand what it was until she carefully looked at the wall. The wall behind the bookshelf had not been exposed for 17 years and lying there was an enormous black and blue spot as if the wall had been scorched. Suddenly a familiar odor began to dwell in her senses, as she got closer to it. It was the same smell (and feeling of nausea) she got whenever a body was brought into the lab.

"What the heck," Astrid said coughing.

"I'm sorry to say," said Walter. "That is what remains of my assistant…the one who…"

She squinted at the ugly awful spot on the wall in disbelief.

"Hmm," said Walter in a serious tone. "I think the blue spots were her hair and nails. Cells that were already dead before affect have a different response to the chemicals."

There was no way actual body remains could still be intact on that wall unless the dead assistant had been atomized.

"What chemicals?" asked Astrid.

"The chemicals we were using to control growth of the skin using flammable substances."

"You said your assistant was a she, Walter."

"Yes," he said sadly. "And god rest her soul…I've forgotten her name…" He sighed and said. "You are scared then?"

"Um…yeah…maybe."

"Then what's to stop you from staying here? Why don't you just leave if there's the slightest chance I plan to atomized you in some catastrophic experiment?"

"Well I'm sure whatever happened, you could prevent it from ever happening again."

"Try telling that to my son," Walter said grinding his teeth. He began to pace the room angrily and said. "Night after night we argue about what happened when I stabbed you and then he tells me that I would be your death…like I was with that assistant…He was starting to believe that I did killed her on purpose…me, killing someone who respected me and enjoyed my company…I…"

"Walter, hey." Astrid cautiously approached him as he was trying to hold back tears. "We've gotten past what you did to me, remember? And you don't have to take everything Peter says seriously." Without even thinking twice about it she put a hand on Walter's shoulder. This surprised Walter more than anything. Given that he seemed to have lost her trust, it almost made him want to happily cry that she would have the guts to get this close to him.

That was what he loved about this girl (damn his ability to remember names). She seemed like a curious risk taker even when bridge of trust between them had been weakened by his own hand.

"I'm kind of sorry, I brought this up. I…"

"No, I quite understand." Walter carefully slid his shoulder out of Astrid's comforting grasp as to not offend her. As much as he truly was comforted by the approach he didn't want to make things between them anymore awkward.

"Well…now you know how and old fool like me landed in St. Claire's. But still I fear Peter is right," Walter said shaking. "There is only so much I can do to prevent the mistakes of the past…and…I have a common tendency to not learn after so many years."

"Well, no everybody learns right off the bat, Walter. You know it took me three years after I got my driver's permit to learn how to drive a car without nearly killing someone?"

"Is that so," Walter chuckled finally. "Well I have too many stories about that. But still the question remains as to why you do not make an attempt to stay clear of the danger I possess."

"First of all, Walter, I think I'm aware of who you are. You're unpredictable but I know none of it is truly meant to harm. That's not you. And second, Broyles insisted I stayed on, regardless of any risks."

"Whatever for?" he asked curiously.

Astrid smirked. "I already know to much of your…science."

Walter giggled and looked at his watch.

"Well Walter," Astrid said, hoping to preserve Walter's enlightened mood. "It's almost lunch time. What should I order seeing that Peter's going to be gone all day?"

"Oh well…do you think you know a place that serves horse tenderloins?"

"Was that a joke, Walter?"

"Well it was actually. You know Peter's spending his whole day at the horse track to avoid me of course. I thought it would be a fun trick to play on my son."

"Or maybe it will just gross him out," said Astrid laughing. "Will pork tenderloins be okay?"

"Oh fine forget the trick then."

Walter happily went back to his work. Before Astrid could dial the number to order pork tenderloins. She thought of one more risky thing to say to Walter, but in her heart, she felt it had to be said. After all she was finally ready to accept that there was no knowing if she would still be alive if she stayed by Walter's side. But her risk taking and curiosity have overpowered her fears. She was, much to the horror deep in the back of her head, here to stay.

"Walter?"

He looked up.

"No matter what anyone says…or whatever you were being charged with…I believe it was an accident…"

Walter smiled and softly said "yes, an accident…thank you…thank you".

Astrid smiled and went back to ordering lunch. She was unaware that Walter was watching her. A happy realization occurred to Walter: how little things changed. Everything he ever loved and appreciated about his former assistants from two decades ago seemed to mold perfectly into this one FBI assistant who was spending more time in lab with him than his son was.

FBI Assistant? Ha. He thought. That girl was born to be a scientist. Her risk taking and curiosity alone was enough to make her win a place in the scientific side of Walter's heart. Watch out, Belly.

Still it still unnerved him from time to time. As much as Walter "loved" this difficult to remember assistant, there was still that chance of him one day atomizing this woman until she one day becomes another scorched horrid memory on the walls of this very basement.

Until then…he made a point to work on a new project…a device to help an old man like himself remember the names of his co-workers.

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**_Okay, there may be one more part to this story but I am hesitant to write it cause it might bum some people out. (Hint: it's pretty dark given that I like reading/writing the angst). This is where your reviews come in handy. Lemme know if you want that epilogue chapter. And since this is the first thing I've written in a while, I'll understand if you find Astrid or Walter acting a bit OOC. I'll take anything for reviews sake! Heh._**


	3. Part Three

_**Okay, I lied about two things: first, I wanted to post the epilogue regardless of how dark it is. Second, I think this fic is gonna be more than 3 chaps since this was bigger chapter to write than I thought. Man, I think I should be upping the rating of this to M cause stuff in this chapter gets crazy fast...in fact, I wasn't expecting to write Walter in this overtly-detailed fashion but man…read this and see for yourself….**_

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**III. (Not the epilogue)**

She never saw Walter looked so…vulnerable. But that day when she spoke to him about the lab accident must have caused many emotions of despair and remorse to boil. She feared that she nearly broke him that day.

She resolved to be more cooperative with him. Perhaps this approach would allow her to communicate with Walter better on his off-days. Off-days including demanding all day for a certain kind of meal that would take days to make (and then Walter would reject it cause he didn't get to eat what he wanted on the day he wanted). Off-days including the need for 2500 pink layered CDs in order to power a counter-device that could prevent cell mutation.

**~ Few Months Passing ~**

"A sickle-bill! It must be a sickle-bill!"

"Walter, I already told you for the thousand time," Astrid argued. "They're wild birds that live on the opposite side of the world. You're not going to find them in any pet shop in this…"

"DO YOU WANT THIS VIRUS TO COME TO US?!"

"No…" Astrid was now shaking.

"BECAUSE IT WILL DAMMIT! Someone is controlling the movements of where the virus is headed and if we want to know how the virus is infecting its victims, I need a sickle-bill to study its lung functions. NOW GO GET ME ONE BEFORE WE ALL PERISH!!!"

Walter had always been known for blowing up at Peter in such a matter but never with Astrid. The days were getting stressful as they were racing against time to fight this deadly virus. But Astrid felt that the demands he were making to help the Bureau solve these crimes were becoming more unusual and absurd by the second.

Still…she would have to write them down the demands in her notebook. The book was nearly filled and stuff with information Astrid gathered about Walter's experiments and the items that Astrid was always retrieving for him. Eventually, she started adding notes as to Walter's favorite meals…favorite snacks…food that calm him, and foods that were too dangerous for his adrenaline levels to consume.

Astrid felt relieved (despite the swell of emotion of upset and fear) that it was just her in the lab with Walter again. If Peter had been there when Walter blew up at her…let's just say that the lab would've gotten quite bloody. She didn't want to be the reason for any more strife and frustration between the father and son who were still struggling with their relationship.

She looked over to see if Walter showed any signs of guilt and remorse for yelling at her, but no such luck. She remembered one time, a few weeks back when Walter was walking by her and he accidentally brushed her…well, he was apologizing to Astrid for days afterward much to her own discomfort.

But today was different, Walter was more "mad" in the head than unusual. She thought it was one of those off-days he would be apologizing on his knees to her for later…

So she brushed it off. It became common practice. A small price to pay, she thought for the small desire inside of her that was slowly developing…a desire to know the Pattern. She wanted to know how the virus was running its course not to save lives…but to further expand her curious mind.

Persistence. She absorbed it if it meant getting close to those machines and finally understanding the functions of all the dials…or finding out how Walter was able to drink milk from a poisoned Gene without as much as a stomachache.

After the virus case was solved, Astrid let the yelling incident go, much like the syringe. She wrote down in her notebook "don't argue about something you can't find. Just get it". She added the word DAMMIT to help herself remember Walter's anger.

**~ One Week Later ~**

"Something wrong, Walter?" Astrid asked as she hurried to sort of all of the files for their current case.

"Huh? Oh…," Walter snorted. "It's just that, I have this very deep, regretful feeling…"

"About what?"

"It was as if, I lost my temper at someone close…I'm sure it wasn't Peter…but someone I regretted yelling at. I don't even know if I did yell at someone but it feels like I did something awful, I think…a week ago. I can't help feeling so…sorry about it. But I can't even remember the person whom I upset."

"Well, I'm sure if that if you did yell at someone…they've forgiven and forgotten it," Astrid said giving him a wink.

Walter didn't pick up on it though and kindly said, "I would hope so. Still, I wish I knew who to write a formal apology to. Oh…can we have some mozzarella bread today?"

"Anything for you, Walter." Those words reached Walter's ears with great sincerity even Astrid was surprised. She said quickly, "but I think we need to check and see if that formula is ready."

"Oh quite," said Walter excitingly.

They were both looking forward to see if the formula was successful. Astrid mostly, because she got the make the formula herself with Walter assisting. It had been Walter's random idea for her to tackle on the project herself. She had to throw ideas at Walter as if she was a student in a science lab who was quickly being tested to see if she was paying attention to the teacher. He had never been prouder when one of Astrid's ideas lit a bulb in his head and they immediately went to work on the formula that could break the case.

They tested a stray cat and it was a complete success.

"Are you sure you're an FBI Assistant, my dear?" Walter asked in-between bites of his mozzarella bread. "Because you seem to know an awful lot about my work."

"That's because I've been working here alongside you since you got out of St. Claire's," Astrid explained.

"So that was you who helped me with the pigeons?!"

"Yes Walter," Astrid sighed. "That was me."

**~ Another Month Later~**

Astrid left Walter preoccupied in making adjustments to the tank when she heard him.

"What are you doing here?"

It was soft but filled with fear. She looked up from her desk and saw Walter on the opposite side of the lab curled up on the floor.

"You weren't supposed to leave with me!" It was still nothing more than a low cry. But Astrid knew he wasn't talking to her…or to Gene.

"You were supposed to stay back there…away from here."

Walter was talking to thin air.

That alarmed Astrid as she cautiously made her way towards him.

"Why do you follow me?!" Astrid froze only a few feet away from the tank that Walter was leaning on for support. He was sobbing now.

"Walter?" Astrid called above a whisper.

He wasn't responding or even acknowledging her presence there.

For some unusual reason, Astrid was now scared for the first time of being in the lab alone with Walter…like this. Perhaps because it was 11:30 at night and Peter was helping Olivia in catching another bad guy.

But this was worrisome. Too worrisome.

Walter began to mutter things. "You're not here. It's not logically possible. So you go back. Go back now."

Astrid took a few steps back even though Walter was still addressing his imaginary friend. She quickly pulled out her cell phone and turned away from Walter.

Peter wasn't answering. She quietly spoke her message into the phone so Walter couldn't hear.

"It's Astrid…look…you need to get back whenever you can. It's your dad…he's not…I think something's seriously wrong."

She closed her phone and turned back to Walter was up and grabbing a huge surgical knife from the table right next to her. This caused her to jump because the knife was being pointed at her.

Walter pointed the knife at nothing and then turned his head…eyes confronting Astrid. He knew she was there now and finally spoke to her.

"Do you see him?!"

Astrid shook speechless. "Wha…"

"I thought I told him to leave. He came into the restroom a month ago. He's not supposed to be here…"

There was a moment of suspenseful silence and then Walter jerked his head away from Astrid. "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAID. YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO LEAVE THE ASYLUM WITH ME! YOU WILL NOT HOUND ME TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH!"

Astrid quickly backed away from the anger in his voice until the back of her head hit a column. It hurt like hell.

"Walter," Astrid said moaning and rubbing her head. "There's no one there."

"I will fight this. Damn you to hell if I must," Walter said to the empty space before him.

She was too scared to think. She was too scared to help. She didn't know what to do until Walter pointed at her.

"I…" Walter said nervously. "I need some time alone…"

Astrid knew she couldn't honor that request no matter how upset Walter was feeling. "I can't Walter…" she said almost on the verge of tears. "I'm scared you'll hurt yourself…and I can't let that happen." Both sentimental caring and devotion to her job to keeping an eye on Walter were her motivations for remaining frozen to the spot.

Walter ignored her though and looked away from her again. He began to breathe very hard. "No, I won't," he started to stay as his eyes darted to the ground. "No, I won't…OH GOD, STOP THIS!"

She watched in horror as she realized that Walter still held the surgical knife in his fist…and he was raising it.

'_Oh God,'_ Astrid's mind screamed. _'He's going to stab himself.'_

One foot after the other in Walter's direction Astrid struggling to reach him without her fears getting in the way…

…but someone got to Walter first.

Upon first sight of Walter as he entered the lab, Peter leapt over the steps and grabbed Walter by the arms.

"Walter, stop this!"

The shock of Peter's sudden presence caused Walter to drop the knife but still, he wrestled with his son.

Olivia came into the lab a moment later with the same shock of the situation unfolding before her. She went to a frightened Astrid's side only to find the same look of fear and confusion in her eyes.

It took a while for Walter to end his struggling and finally his son was calming him down. "You're scaring the crap out of Astrid," Peter told him.

"I didn't mean to," Walter said whimpering, wondering who was this Astrid person and how could she be scared if she wasn't present alongside the man.

"We're going home now!" Peter growled as he grabbed his father. "Are you gonna be alright, Astrid?"

"I'll be fine," Astrid nervously told Peter as he shoved his father out of the lab.

Peter himself was shaking as he started the car and headed towards the apartment.

"But he was there…" said Walter whimpering from the back seat.

"No one was there but you and Astrid," Peter with much anger and annoyance. "She called me and said you were acting crazy."

"There was no woman there, Peter!"

"Yes there was!"

"I KNOW WHAT I SAW! It was HIM. He's been following me around for weeks…I thought he would stay back there!"

"I've had enough of this, Walter," Peter groaned. He went back to focusing on driving doing his best to ignore his father.

"I swear it son…he was saying things to me, and I tried to fight him off. For some reason he told me to look towards some column and point at it and say 'I need some time alone' to no one in particular…just empty space."

Peter knew then that he could no longer leave Astrid alone with his father…especially if this mess reached Broyles so he could only hope Olivia or Astrid would not say anything about what she saw.

He then broke his vow of silence and said "that's just great, Walter. I'm sure he had something REALLY important to say."

The man did say something of importance to Walter...something that Walter could not, would not, accept.

But he couldn't tell Peter the truth though, because it would only get him into more trouble. But his mind was screaming the words HE told him.

_'You're going to do it again.'_

Walter flinched as hard he could but now the man had consumed his mind with his words.

_'She's going to blow up, Walter.'_

Walter could only cry now, with Peter coldly ignoring his despair and the familiar face that Walter confronted taunting him endlessly.

_'… Kaboom…'_


	4. Part Four

**IV.**

Walter felt so alone…

It was an unusual thing for him to be feeling outside of St. Claire's, especially now since his son was back in his life and he had a few new friends.

But it started to dawn on him how un-accepting people were of his quirks. It first hit him after his meeting with Dashell Kim. Walter's anger and frustration at his friend's loss of sanity caused Walter to go crazy again himself, and he was forced to the spend the night in his old cell as a result.

After Walter was freed, it was discovered that Dashell was sane in his own way. That's when Walter began to understand how Peter felt about having to cope with living with an insane man everyday.

Walter wanted to change after that experience…but change would never really come. A tiger can never change his stripes…not even the old and unstable ones.

But his old friend from the mental institution still hounded him…still haunted him…and still vowed to ruined Walter's life no matter what he did. Heck, Walter didn't have to even see him to know he was making his life torture. Because now, Peter was keeping a watchful eye on him…making sure he didn't go crazy again infront of others like he did to that assistant.

He swore she was never there. He swore he was alone when he came to see him. But by all accounts, she had been there to witness the terrifying encounter Walter had with his demons. If she hadn't call Peter to come back to the lab, Walter would've killed himself right then and there in the lab that night. A part of him was quite grateful for that, he supposed, though he still insisted on seeing no woman in the lab despite the fact that she was five feet away from when the whole incident occurred.

So now Walter sat alone on the park bench wondering if he really was going to hurt someone else again. He watched the Harvard students around the lake, infront of, and behind him, as they went about their studies. So many bright minds here. He could never waste such brilliant minds intentionally. But his other self was insistent that was and would always be the case.

He knew that he shouldn't be out here right now. Peter would surely find out, when gets done with his shower, that Walter snuck out of the apartment for his own personal alone time...maybe indulge himself in a hungarian sausage if God were willing.

Despite his elder age and his "condition" Walter was still insistent on being treated as a normal citizen with the goddamn given right to go out into the world by himself once in a while and not have to think about work or science, though like every hard-working Joe, his work was still part of his life.

The wind shifted and Walter sniffed a familiar aroma…

…it smelled of meat…but he couldn't recall…

…but then it hit him.

Walter's nose compelled the rest of his body to rise up from his seat and follow the aroma of sausage in the air. _'Ah yes,'_ he thought smiling. _'Old Billy must still be selling those sausages off his cart somewhere nearby'._ Walter would often be at the sausage cart everyday for lunch back in the early days of his lab work on the Harvard campus.

He depended on his memories and his nose to lead him to where the old sausage cart was stationed and then he turned a corner at a kiosk. Yes! This was the location where it had always been for so many years.

His eyes became wide hoping for a chance to spend $2.15 on an old fashioned Hungarian sausage-in-a-bun and ramble on with Old Billy about his current science work, like in the good ol' days…

…but the cart and the sausage cart man were not there…

Nope…it happened to be a familiar looking woman who was standing there with a barbecue grill cooking a sausage.

"Ha! It worked!" Astrid cried.

"What do you mean?" asked Walter disappointingly.

"Peter told us you disappeared so we thought this time around, we would lure you out with food."

Walter felt so hurt…nay insulted…that his own family and friends would deceive him in such a cruel manner. "Well it worked apparently," he said.

Astrid stuck a fork into the grilling sausage and waved it in the direction. "Oh come on, Walter. Have some sausage while I call Peter."

"I don't want it," Walter pouted turning his head away from her.

"Oh I think you do," said Astrid. Sadly it was true. Walter wanted to take a bite into that sausage more than anything, but he couldn't help but feel offended by Astrid's offering.

"Miss, I know I may be what you call a sucker for certain delectables, but don't think you can bribe me so that my son can put me down again for trying to maintain my own independence!"

Astrid was shocked by Walter's words as he stormed away to sit on the bench by the grill. She cautiously joined him.

"Hey…I'm sorry," Astrid said. "It's just that…we were all worried about you after what happened in the lab."

Walter cringed when Astrid said the last part of that sentence. But she took a deep breath and said "I think I was more worried for you than Peter…scared…more like terrified. I was really worried that you were going to hurt yourself so please understand why I had to call Peter."

She gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder. Deep down Walter wanted to throw that arm off of him and maybe rip it apart and use it as part of a robotic experiment he used to work on to see if muscles could still operate without the use of nerves.

Suddenly it hits him what a disturbing thought it was and shook the thought out of his mind.

"So," said Walter a bit worried. "…you were there? You saw everything?"

"Well, I saw you attacking the invisible air infront of you with a surgical knife."

Walter sighed. "I could've sworn I was alone with HIM in the lab…but I suppose that was mind deteriorating away, wasn't it? It does that sometimes."

"Who's HIM?"

Walter hesitated for a moment. "I suppose it doesn't matter if no one believes what I said happened in there, does it?" he said bitterly.

"You know what, Walter," said Astrid. "I believe you, and I'm not being told to say that or am saying it out of any pity. I really believe that you saw what you saw…and if I wasn't there…then, I wasn't there."

"But you were…in reality's case."

"Yes…but Walter, we've known each other for quite a while…even though you tend to forget who I am but, I know that you've been through a lot. I can imagine that's it possible for someone whose been as alone as you have to see things that no one else sees…or to think in ways that no one could ever think of. You have a different way of approaching the world Walter, and if bad things happen because of it, I don't think you should be beating yourself over it. You can't help being different, but I know how awful it must feel for you for not be normal. I should know cause I feel that way sometimes and…Are you crying, Walter?"

"Huh?" Walter didn't realize his eyes were watering badly until it was too late. "Oh…of course not, my dear. It's just my tear ducts lacking proper hydration. More often than not, tears can be produced without the need for emotional triggers if there is a lack of moisture to abstain the eyeballs from dreadful crusting."

"I guess so," Astrid said as she went back to the grill. She put a couple of sausages on buns and gave one to Walter. "Come on, Walter. Enjoy your sausage."

"But my son…"

"Peter can worry about you for a little while longer," Astrid smirked. "Besides, this maybe the last time you get to enjoy something outside of the lab away from him for a very long time. Might as well enjoy it before he grounds you for life."

Walter nodded in agreement and the two of them sat there on the park bench quietly indulging in their sausages and took in the sun setting before them.

For the first time, Walter developed a sane thought…one of his few first. How foolish it was for him to assume that the old sausage cart man would still be alive when he clearly recalled a memorial to the deceased sausage vendor had been erected near his lab years before Walter himself got shipped off to St. Claire's.

Unknown to the woman next to him, Walter pushed his brain to think…He wanted to get it right this time before opening his mouth again (and possibly making an ass of himself infront of her).

_'...Ah…Ast…Astreme?…Astrend?…Astred?…Astrid?…Adrenaline?...'_

Had his stomach not been satisfied with the fulfillment of Hungarian sausage at that moment, Walter would have been feeling miserable.

Only one friend now…only one friend who still had faith in him…who still loyally followed him…

...the only one who would believe (and had even accepted) that she was invisible to him while a devilish doppleganger of himself wasn't...

...the only one who still trusted him…and he still can't conjure up her face or her name for it to be truly appreciated.

Because Walter appreciated the woman more than anything in his distorted world at the moment.

It didn't occur to Walter, when he placed his hand on her thigh, that it would be misconstrued as somewhat perverted.

However, Astrid didn't even flinch. She smiled shyly to herself knowing it was Walter's own little unusual way of saying, _'thank you for anything...and everything'_.

* * *

**_Pardon the shortness. I should have this thing completed before the hiatus ends at 9pm Eastern tomorrow or I might lose my end and keep this story going on and on and on...but I think I want to gets to my epilogue already! _**

**_But still can you believe it? Less than 24 hrs? OMYFGOD#?$"P%(^!_**


	5. Part Five

**_Aight, so I didn't get this story finished before the new episode like I hoped too but on the plus side, the new episode was made of total win. So I hope you enjoy this just as much. :) Don't forget the epilogue in the next chap. And yes, the dark depressing stuff starts happening from this point on just to warn people._**

**

* * *

**

**V.**

"What do you think?" He asked Astrid as he tried on the special protective suit he just created. "Do you think it looks big in the ass region?"

"Um…well it shouldn't," Astrid replied. "You made it to fit you, remember?"

"Oh, I keep forgetting…what was this suit for again?"

"So you can destroy the device in Darbin's lab without killing yourself once Olivia tracks down the location of his lab."

"Oh good, good. But why does it feel so dry and stuffy inside?"

Peter grunted and said "Walter, stop depending on Astrid to remember things…not until you get her name right anyway."

Walter snapped his fingers finally remembering. "Oh yes, I remember now. To prevent the moisture in my body from being grossly atomized. Was that it?"

"Yes, Walter," Astrid sighed.

"Alright then, I suppose if Agent Dunham is close to finding this place and the suit is ready for use, then I must go and do my business before departure. It would be a shame for me to have to hold my urine in while I am detonating the device, lest I…"

"Oh God, Walter! Just stop it and go!" Peter cried.

Walter took off the suit and headed towards the door of the lab. The restrooms were right down the hall but Walter felt hesitant about leaving since his son was supposed to keep an eye on him. But Peter was too agitated to care except he yelled before Walter left "and please use the men's restroom this time!!!"

Truth be told, Walter hadn't been using the men's restroom down the hall from the lab as often as he was supposed to, because the last time he went in there was when he saw Him…

Often he would use to the women's restroom instead in order to relieve himself of the fear of seeing his darker self, but too often he would leave the restroom with terrified women screaming at him.

Walter took a deep breath and gave the door to the women's restroom a little nudge, only to find it had been bolted shut. Someone must've reported the creepy old man not using the proper facilities, he thought.

So Walter had no choice, he would have to use the men's room again.

He closed his eyes and slowly opened the door. He turned on the light. The restroom was clean and empty. Walter turned around with a bit of relief as he secured the look on the door and then did his business.

But when he was washing his hands afterward, he heard an unusual sound and then…

"Walter."

Walter whirled around terrified that he was looking at himself, but this time without a mirror. Walter's breathing became erratic.

"No, no," he sobbed. "Don't do this!"

"I didn't do anything," the other one said. "Or have you forgotten that you created me."

"Yes," Walter said. "I did, but this wasn't what I had in mind when I did it."

"And you call yourself a brilliant scientist." The other one shook his head. "Pity, pity."

"I just wanted to be sane like everyone else," Walter said. "I just wanted to be able to communicate with people, to remember things, and to have people understand me…if I have to give up my drugs to do such things I would…I only wanted...to be able to understand my son…

The other one gave him an evil grin and said, "So you wanted to be me!"

"No! Never!" Walter growled. "I would rather stay senile than be sane and constantly torment people…as you torment me!"

Walter watched in fear as his own reflection laughed at him and said, "I torment you? No Walter, I only exist remind you of how you torment others. I only come to warn you about that that will not change. No matter whose trust you've gained it's always betrayed isn't it? Even Peter has lost his trust of leaving you alone after our last meeting…and how shameful is it that you can't even remember the name of the assistant you betrayed to hide that ridiculous beacon? Even I can remember a name as simple as Astrid."

"Please," Walter begged. "I never meant to harm anyone…"

"…and yet, you always do…"

"Please, just leave me alone before more people think I am mad."

"Too late for that Walter. Darbin knows about your plans to destroy his machine…and he knows all about your work. Have you even stopped to think that Darbin would be out to destroy you first?"

"How could you possibly know about that?" Walter asked. "Are you a mind reader?"

"You should know that," the other one said. "You DID create ME."

For one second, Walter blinked and then he looked around and saw nothing. He was alone again. For now, all he could do was cry.

Not even the banging on the door could disrupt his tears.

"Walter? Walter are you in there?"

Walter, immediately recognizing the sweet voice of his lovely, unnamable assistant, wipe the tears from his face and went to unlock the door.

"You've been in here for a long time," Astrid said as she looked at Walter. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," Walter sniffed.

"Are you sure? You don't look like it."

Walter smiled and said "well, I suppose my ability to falsify my well-being isn't as genius as it used to be."

"Hey, don't worry about it, huh?" Astrid said grabbing a gentle hold of Walter's arm. "I think you will feel better once we nab this guy and destroy that machine huh?"

"Where is my son?" he asked her.

"He's outside waiting for Olivia to get back. He told me to get you out of this restroom and get you ready for your big moment. It's not everyday you get to go straight into the bad guy's lair, Walter. So this should be…interesting for you."

They walked back to the lab together when Walter spoke "Miss, you are good at cheering up an old man. You know that right?"

Astrid blushed at the compliment and said, "well I guess I've gotten to know you too well."

The got back to the lab and Astrid checked the material on the suit to make sure there weren't any tears or rips. The breathing mechanism should be good even for an old coot like Walter.

"It's quite itchy to be in, though," said Walter.

"Well we can't take any chances now can we?" said Astrid. "They could activate that device anytime while you're in there and if you aren't wearing this suit within three minutes then every H2O molecule in your body is going to burst and since the human body is made up 70% water that's 70% of your body that's going to explode…and it's going to be quite bloody, Walter."

Walter was shocked at the amount of knowledge that Astrid recited to him and he suddenly laughed. "It seems I've taught you well, my dear."

Astrid laughed and said, "I know…it scares me a little."

"Well then," said Walter. "Let us say goodbye to Gene and then depart."

"Gene's not here, Walter," Astrid corrected him. "He's in the animal hospital because you injected him with something you shouldn't have."

"Oh come now, it was only a few shots of LSD and given his weight it should only…"

They heard the door slam at that very moment and turned around.

Hoping to expect Peter and Olivia, the scientist and the assistant were instead confronted with a large group of men with guns.

"Hands in the air now…both of you!"

Astrid immediately responded knowing full well that even with the gun in her drawer she and Walter were still helplessly outnumbered. The men formed a half-circle infront of the only way out of the lab with all their guns pointed at her and Walter.

Walter was a bit scared at first but then his face turned into a smile when more men entered wielding a device…the very device that Walter was supposed to go on the raid to destroy.

"Oh, you brought the device to us," said Walter gleefully. "Now, that must save us a lot of trouble…now if you…just keep it off…I would like to examine it and…"

Astrid hissed. "Walter, not now!" She brought one of her hands down halfway to wave at Walter to put his own hands up as well.

"Walter?" said one of the gunmen. "You're Walter Bishop, then?"

"Why yes," said Walter innocently. He stepped forward and stretched out his hand to greet the men. "Dr. Walter…"

"HANDS UP NOW!!!"

The demand in the gunman's voice and the clicking of several guns pointed at Walter finally convinced him of the severity of the situation and he nervously made a few steps back to Astrid's raising his own hands up now.

"Looks like, we found the right place!" said the lead gunman. He ordered the men carrying the device to begin setting it up.

"We got our orders by Darbin to take you out, Dr. Bishop."

Despite her constant shaking at her dire situation Astrid stepped forward. "You picked bad time, to come here. The FBI is supposed to meet us at this lab and they'll find you here any minute."

"Don't worry about them, Missy. We've got them busy chasing their own tails. And we knocked out that annoying punk outside who tried to take us out."

Walter immediately froze in his placed shaking terribly. "…Peter…?"

"Walter…it's okay…" Astrid said assuring him. "I'm sure he's fine."

The gunman started to back away towards the door but their guns were still aimed at their helpless victims.

"Goodbye, Dr. Bishop."

Suddenly a blue light started to blink on the device. It was the three-minute warning.

The men soon disappeared and shut the door. Astrid immediately ran up to the door only to find it had been bolted shut from the gunmen on the outside. She rushed over to the windows high up and found that there was no escape route possible through those either

"Walter…," said Astrid sadly. "I'm sorry but…we're going to die in here."

Walter looked down and saw his protective suit on the floor.

"Miss!"

Astrid turned to Walter as he picked the suit up from the ground…

…and he shook it at her.

"Walter…no…"

"You work for me, Miss. You are not allowed to argue the ethics of this. Now put the suit on."

"It was made to fit you, Walter. YOU have to be the one to put it on." Astrid backed away towards one of the lab tables. Her fingers felt a familiar object as Walter yelled, "I will do no such thing. My son will not speak to me again if you don't get into this suit!"

He shoved the suit into Astrid's arms and went towards the device.

"Walter…Walter you can't dismantle it in time…"

Astrid was right about this. She knew she was right. Clearly the bomb was a piece of complicated work that needed to be studied and examine with extreme care and that was going to take more than three minutes alone.

But Walter was being too stubborn…noble but stubborn.

She thought about what Peter would do in a situation like this. He would keep talking Walter's head off to not do whatever it was he was doing and that would be it.

No, Astrid would have to be more drastic than that to get that old man out of this situation alive.

She knew what had to be done then…

She grabbed the item she felt on the table and realized it was the perfect thing she needed…

She rushed up to Walter as he headed toward the device…

In an instant, Walter felt a sharp pain in his neck as Astrid pressed down lightly on the syringe.

It wasn't powerful enough to knock Walter out but it was good enough to keep Walter restrained. He couldn't move his legs or arms as he fell back onto Astrid's weight.

But Astrid supported him and carried him over to the suit where she carefully began to set him inside scooping his limbs in, as they were light and motionless under her control.

The alarm on the device was blaring with only one minute to go.

"No…" Walter moaned.

Astrid looked at Walter and smiled. "Did you enjoy it, Walter?"

The question finally brought a smile to Walter's face upon recalling it's significance. "Yes," he replied with a sad smile. "I'm happy you finally got your retribution for what I did to you…"

She zipped the suit and checked it one last time for rips and tears.

"I only wish it had been under better circumstances."

Walter was now secure and safe. He would now survive the effects of the bomb. Astrid turned her face away from him and waited for time on the device to run out.

A helpless cry came from inside the safe-suit.

"ASTRID!"

She turned back seeing tears streaming from the old man behind the clear plastic that now protected him.

Astrid took a hold of his hand and she began to cry tears of joy. And Walter…he fought with all of his might to get his fingers…his legs…anything to react but only his emotions and his tears were at work. He couldn't even feel her hand so he had to try with everything he had in him to convince his brain that he really was holding it.

"You…," Astrid smiled. "You remembered my name!"

She saw the gleaming smile on Walter's face almost in disbelief that he would recall it now…of all moments to do so.

"Goodbye, Walter." There was another moment of silence between them as the last seconds beeped away.

"Tell Gene I said goodbye, too."

Walter held his breath when he saw Astrid getting up and disappearing from his vision. Still his body was unable to move and he became distraught that the face of his dear assistant could not be seen.

"No…no," he began to moan. "Where are you…"

A loud bang and a massive force happened simultaneously and Walter felt himself rolled over. He could've sworn he heard raindrops amidst the boom and the clatter.


	6. Epilogue

**Epilogue.**

"Walter?"

It was painful, as if one had never felt pain in his life. That was what Walter was feeling as he opened his eyes.

"Walter?"

It didn't take Walter long to open them up and see Peter there by his side, Olivia was standing by the door to the room he was in. Both bearing expressionless looks at his direction.

His eyes gazed around the hospital room curiously and longingly.

"As…Astrid…"

Peter's eyes widened in shock…so did Olivia's when they heard the name straight from Walter's mouth.

The old man turn to his son and said, "she…died then?"

The son looked down away from Walter unable to say it, but Walter knew it. He knew it the moment she said goodbye to him.

"I did it…" said Walter as he looked up to the ceiling speaking almost deliriously. "I…I must have been responsible for it somehow…"

"No, Walter! Don't even say that."

"But Peter…"

"This is nothing like what happened before, Walter. You didn't do anything wrong. There was nothing we could have done. I tried to stop them from coming into the building but there were too many of them. They had a bunch of them fighting with Olivia and the others just to distract them."

Walter still shook his head and closed his eyes in disbelief. Memories were now flooding into his head more than he wanted them to and it was rather unusual given that he had never remembered things so clearly before. "They came to kill me…"

"But they didn't Walter…" Peter looked up at Walter with a sad smile. "Astrid…saved you. She gave her life to save you!"

Walter still felt himself was to blame for all of it. He didn't know how but he knew that it had to be his fault. The voices in his head would say so. The other self would say so. Maybe the Bureau would find something in the investigation of the explosion in the lab that would say so. And then he would be back in St. Claire's…just as it was in the past.

"Why…" said Walter with stubbornness in his shaking voice. "Why would she…do that…for a mad man like me?"

Peter put on a bigger smile for his father, helping him to find some worth. "I think she knew you were one in a million Walter. She knew you were needed here. You're not very replaceable."

Walter broke down then heavy breaths came rarely in between his sobs when he finally got out the few words he hoped even Heaven could hear.

"SHE is not replaceable!!!"

There was no longer thinking or wondering…only the sobs of Walter as he leaned onto his son's shoulder, waiting for the nightmare to end that would not be.

Yet, Peter reassurance turned out to be true. Walter was not in any trouble, no matter how much guilt he bore, for what happened. There were some suspicions but not enough to really convict Walter of anything. The explosion was not caused by a Walter gone mad and careless. Darbin had been caught after sometime and the device finally and carefully detonated.

The lab had been cleaned of the chemicals, animals, and other materials that were destroyed in the explosion. Walter's attention would sometimes turn itself towards a red spot on the wall that had only faded slightly. It was no doubt the spot of Astrid...the place she had died in.

There was some lack of assurance as to whether or not Walter would be able to work in his lab again, but Peter helped his father through and through. He did so by making Walter promise to not "go insane"…because Astrid would not have wanted him too. She would not have wanted him to feel remorse over the incident.

There were some unusual changes to Walter in the first weeks after Astrid's death, however, that made Peter feel very nervous. Walter's talk of favorite foods, Peter-fathering memories, and the like were very scarce. Most talk was strictly work-related and at many times, Walter would actually make sense infront of Peter and Olivia. The only glimpses of the former Walter lied in taking company with Gene and tending to his usual needs.

But what was more shocking to them still was Walter actually referring to Astrid as "Astrid". No "Miss", no "Asteroid" no "Asterisk", no mis-naming of any kind. It was as if Walter's always had remembered her and sometimes he spoke as if he really did remember her.

And throughout it all, despite having to deal with many new demons surrounding the incident, Walter was slowly succeeding at destroying one old one. The visions of his other self began to slowly fade into distance memory as he became more convinced of the heroic sacrifice that his assistant…moreso his best friend…made for him. And the other Walter could no longer taunt or torment him like he once did.

Walter could finally focus on what was more important again in his own usual way.

"Walter?"

Walter was too busy as his lab tables to notice Olivia standing there. "I have something for you."

"Not now, Agent Dunham. I'm trying to remember what chemical compounds were used in these flasks before the explosion."

"Perhaps this will help." She placed the notebook infront of Walter.

Walter looked at it and said "that is not one of my books."

"I know…it was Astrid's. I found it in her desk"

He put the flasks down and carefully examined the notebook. He curiously flipped a few pages opened and marveled at how detailed it was.

"She studied your work a lot, Walter. She kept track of everything you did."

Walter found a page that contained a list of chemicals and a diagram of flasks neatly lined in a row. It was the very information he needed at that very moment.

"Oh Peter…"

Peter looked up from his seat at the piano. Olivia looked up too out of curiosity.

"Do you know what the last meal Astrid got for me was?"

"I dunno, Walter," said Peter. "What was it?"

"I believe it was a buffalo chicken pizza."

Peter smiled at his father in disbelief.

"I would very much like some."

Peter and Olivia nodded and smiled in agreement to grant Walter's request. It had been such a relief to the both of them that for the first time in weeks, Walter was actually craving a certain kind of food.

Now having trusted the old man to maintain the lab alone, they both left in pursuit of the pizza. And Walter continued to skim through Astrid's notebook curiously.

"This is pretty good work, Astrid," Walter said turning his head to the red spot on the wall.

Gene mooed at Walter's response.

"Oh, I know it's not really her, Gene." Walter went to the cow to observe the unbrushed messed that had become its hair and began to brush the neat proper strokes that he had always demanded of Astrid. "Though perhaps...," Walter told Gene. "...it is time I hire new assistant."

And then, Walter muttered to himself "and God help them if they can't make for me a proper root-beer float."

* * *

**End of fic.**

**A/N. _I must admit that this isn't exactly how I was going to approach the end of this story (nor was I expecting it to be this long). Yes, I intended for Astrid to die which was the whole point. (Don't hate me for saying this but I have an inkling suspicion that Astrid may be killed off a few seasons into the show no matter how much I would hate for that to happen)._**

**_My original ending was for Walter to go dark and crazy again and cause the new explosion that would've killed Astrid himself (especially since it's been stated that Walter's character is going to become darker on the actual show). I'm not all that proud of this ending but it's a positive one in aspects to Walter and Astrid's relationship and it was easier to write for me. Thanks for reading. Reviews are love and such._**


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